


The Dotted Line

by cookiebag, IbelieveinMarkNutt



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: & possessive, && a lil controlling but he's working on it, (Joel is oblivious), (Not against Ray smh), Adapted Roleplay Transcripts, Also jealous, As in Ray is scared for his life when he doesn't need to be, Contracts, Emotional Abuse, Joel is a mob boss, Joel is scary when he's angry, M/M, Misunderstandings, Ray is an escourt, Sugar Daddy, future graphic violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 08:34:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15882426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cookiebag/pseuds/cookiebag, https://archiveofourown.org/users/IbelieveinMarkNutt/pseuds/IbelieveinMarkNutt
Summary: Ray has been stripping & escorting for years, but his newest client, one of the cities most infamous crime lords, seems to have other ideas about what Ray should be doing and who he should be seeing whilst he's paying for his company.Escort contract AU





	The Dotted Line

Joel was furious. Absolutely fuming.

And to top it all off? He felt stupid. He felt stupid because he knew logically the situation shouldn’t manage to illicit such fury from him, but it was, and that just infuriated the man further.

He could feel the irritation radiating off Ray who sat beside him in the passenger seat, his arms crossed tight over his chest. He still wasn’t looking at Joel.

Joel flexed his fingers around his steering wheel. "The deal was you didn't see anybody else," he hissed through gritted teeth, trying to control his upset.

Ray huffed a frustrated sigh. He didn’t see the big deal. He was an escort. Of course, he’d dressed up for his Friday night date at the club he danced at. He was one of his better-paying regulars after all. He hadn’t been anticipating the night being cut short by Joel Heyman, Rooster’s most violent mob boss to date and Ray’s newest client, pulling up to them on the sidewalk and scaring the guy off with death threats.

“From what I remember the deal was that I wouldn't _sleep_ with anyone else, Joel. And, by the way, I'm not,” shot back Ray, trying to hold back his snark. "He's a client- I wasn’t seeing him. It's kind of my job in case that wasn’t obvious when you hired me.”

Ray would have been much more open about how angry he was over the situation if it wasn’t for the familiar sensation of walking on eggshells around Joel when he was upset, never sure what he'd do or how he'd react.

Dangerous cliental came as a work-hazard in Ray’s profession.

Talking of dangerous cliental,

"You were very clearly seeing him!" snapped Joel, smacking down a bruised fist on the steering wheel of his BMW, shooting a glare in Ray's direction.  "I don't share with anyone. I told you that. You're either escorting for _me_ or escorting for _them_. Don’t play games with me, kid. I will give you anything you want or need. I've told you this, too.” Joel drove one-handedly down the streets, a little too fast for Ray’s comfort. He gestured wildly with a free hand. “You need something, you ask me, I get it for you. That’s how this works. You don't need anyone else for shit. Are you listening to me, Ray? This is your last warning."

Ray flinched as Joel yelled at him. He looked back out of the window as Joel rambled, fear bubbling away in his stomach and rising into his chest. His last warning. Like that didn’t sound ominous or anything.

He suddenly pictured himself face down in a ditch somewhere outside down; thoroughly beaten, throat slit, maggots crawling in his decaying flesh. Joel's status as a mob boss had always intrigued Ray, danger always exciting to him, but not anymore now the possibility of violence was directed at him and rather than some nameless gangster.

Ray was quiet for several seconds, swallowing dry before responding with a hesitant, "Okay, Joel. I’m sorry."

Joel made a noise of acknowledgement, speeding up to make it through an amber light.

Ray shifted in his seat a little, tugging at the fabric of his shorts. He kept the fear out of his voice. "Am I still allowed to strip?"

"No," replied Joel quickly, frowning.

Joel’s emotions were currently running too high to even begin thinking rationally. If he'd been a little calmer, he would have probably told Ray he could strip all he wanted as long as it was Joel’s bed he came back too, but his jealousy was running wild. All he could see was the way Ray had been hanging off that motherfucker, kissing his face, arm draped around his waist.

Ray's frown deepened, angry and frustrated. It wasn't fair. Joel knew he liked stripping, and he knew full well that Ray had planned on doing it until he either wasn’t enjoying it or wasn’t drawing in the crowds anymore. He wanted to tell him how stupid and selfish he was being, but Joel always carried a gun, and that fact kept Ray silent.

"We're going to my place,” said Joel when he was met with silence.

His thunderous glare stayed forward all the way to his estate.

Ray just got out from the car once they pulled into Joel’s garage, waiting for Joel to unlock the front door before he headed for the stairs, wanting to be alone.

"And where do you think you're going?” Joel slammed the door shut, anger flaring back at Ray’s disrespect. “We're not done here."  

He took aggressive steps toward Ray, bigger body towering over him.   
  
Ray backed up against the wall instinctively. He looked to the floor in hopes Joel wouldn’t hurt him if he wasn’t egging him on. He was scared, heart skipping a beat as all the possible scenarios played out in his head.

Joel was strong. Very strong, Ray knew from nights spent wrapped up in his arms, but unlike then, the broadness wasn't comforting in that moment, it was scary, and Ray couldn’t decide how oblivious Joel was of just how much he was frightening Ray.  
  
"I just wanted to go take a bath," said Ray, submissive.

"It can wait.” Joel gestured to the landing and demanded, “Upstairs. Now."

He stomped behind Ray as they ascended, guiding Ray in the direction of his office. Joel unlocked the door with a key from his pocket. Joel clicked and pointed a finger in the direction of his office chair.

"Sit,” he said.

Ray's fear intensified, but he obeyed every command, unusually quiet,

Joel opened a draw. He rummaged before producing a plain A4 notepad which he dropped in front of Ray, a pen following on top of it. "Write down your non-negotiables."

Ray flinched as the notepad slammed against the desk.

Joel turned, his movement unexpected and simmering with something dangerous. He loosened his tie and left the room.

Ray glanced to the door, listening as Joel went downstairs. He looked back to the paper once he was alone.

It felt like a trick request - no matter what he wrote, Joel would probably be mad - but Ray had a feeling he'd be even angrier with him if he didn't follow his orders.

Taking a shaky breath, he picked up the pen.

>   * I get to work wherever I want
>   * I can hang out with whoever I want without clearing it with you first
> 


Ray wanted to list more, but he thought the two demands were bold enough on their own, so left it.

The stairs creaked, an unlit cigarette between Joel's lips upon his return into the room.

Surprising Ray, the man set down an unopened can of Dr. Pepper beside him. Joel sat on down the other side of the desk. He settled into his leather chair before he turned around the notepad to see what Ray had written.

Ray could feel his heart beating in his throat.

Joel uncapped the pen.

>   * I get to work wherever I want
>   * I can hang out with ~~whoever I want~~ **My Friends** without clearing it with you first.
> 


Finished with his alteration, Joel turned the notepad back around and pushed it back towards Ray to see.

Ray frowned down at the paper as it was returned to him. He hesitated, sounding unusually timid as he pointed out, "...Am I not ‘allowed’ to make new friends, then? You’re basically saying I'm only 'allowed' to hang out with people I already know."

Ray wanted desperately to leave. He wanted to curl up on his sofa with his xbox and his cat until Joel wasn't acting like a control freak anymore.

"Does it say anywhere on there that you're not allowed to make new friends?" replied Joel, "It says: ' _I can hang out with my friends without clearing it with you first'_ not _'I cannot make new friends._ ’”

Joel pulled the paper back over toward himself.

>   * I get to work wherever I want
>   * I can hang out with ~~whoever I want~~ **My Friends** without clearing it with you first.
>   * **I can make new friends provided I tell Joel about them**
> 


Ray rubbed his arm nervously as pen scratched against paper, letting out a slightly shaky sigh as the notepad was returned for him to read. Joel’s handwriting was atrocious.

"Yeah. Yeah, okay, whatever you want,” agreed Ray easily. He wanted it to be over quickly so he could lock himself in the bathroom for an hour or two, fuck Joel and go home.

"That's not how a contract works, Ray,” said Joel, tone a little calmer than it had been earlier. “Both parties have to agree on the set terms."

He began to scribble again.

>   * I get to work wherever I want
>   * I can hang out with ~~whoever I want~~ **My Friends** without clearing it with you first.
>   * **I can make new friends provided I tell Joel about them**
>   * **I am provided an allowance of $5,000 per week by Joel**
>   * **I spend a minimum of three nights a week at Joel's home**
>   * **I do NOT see other clients**
>   * **I do NOT have sexual relations with other men apart from Joel**
>   * **I do NOT touch anyone else in any way other than platonic**
> 


Joel returned the notepad.

Ray disliked how Joel's so-called ‘terms’ felt more like strict rules, but felt he had no room for negotiation without Joel losing his shit again.

Since Joel wasn’t allowing him to touch anyone in a non-platonic way, it looked like he really couldn't strip after all since that was pretty much entirely what a private dance was. "Okay,” he agreed anyways, nodding his head.

Joel paused. He tapped his pen against the polished wood of the desk a few moments before editing the last term, tagging on an _outside of stripping._

He moved on.

>   * I get to work wherever I want
>   * I can hang out with ~~whoever I want~~ **My Friends** without clearing it with you first.
>   * **I can make new friends provided I tell Joel about them**
>   * **I am provided an allowance of $5,000 per week by Joel**
>   * **I spend a minimum of three nights a week at Joel's home**
>   * **I do NOT see other clients**
>   * **I do NOT have sexual relations with other men apart from Joel**
>   * **I do NOT touch anyone else in any way other than platonic (OUTSIDE OF STRIPPING)**
>   * **I attend all of Joel's social events with him**
>   * **If I need time off, I will let Joel know a month in advance**
>   * **I will tell Joel if something makes me uncomfortable or unhappy**
> 


Being returned the notepad, Ray eyed the last rule for a bit longer than the rest. He shifted a little as he thought about whether he should tell Joel that literally everything about the situation was making him both uncomfortable and unhappy.

He decided he'd wait until Joel was properly relaxed. He didn't feel like he was completely out of the woods yet. He hadn’t known Joel intimately for very long, clients always promised and reassured Ray things that never happened. He wasn’t naïve.

“Yeah, okay." Ray stayed compliant, sliding the paper back.

Joel just pushed it back, passing over the pen with much less force. “You add some.”

"Now you add some." Joel passed the pen back with much less force. He took his lighter out from his inner pocket so he could light up, relaxing back in his chair, at ease.

Ray nodded, trying not to think too much as he began editing Joel’s terms.

>   * I get to work wherever I want
>   * ~~I can hang out with whoever I want **My Friends** without clearing it with you first.~~
>   * **~~I can make new friends provided I tell Joel about them~~**
>   * **I am provided an allowance of $5,000 per week by Joel**
>   * **I spend a minimum of three nights a week at Joel's home**
>   * **I do NOT see other clients**
>   * **I do NOT have sexual relations with other men apart from Joel**
>   * **I do NOT touch anyone else in any way other than platonic (OUTSIDE OF STRIPPING)**
>   * **I attend all of Joel's social events with him**
>   * **If I need time off, I will let Joel know ~~a month in advance~~**
>   * **I will tell Joel if something makes me uncomfortable or unhappy**
>   * I will not act as if Ray is my property
>   * I will not threaten Ray's friends, past boyfriends or cliental
>   * I will recognize and accept that I do not control who Ray sees, talks to, or is friends with
> 


Joel smoked as Ray wrote.

Finished, Ray pushed the notepad back to his client. Joel’s dark eyes scanned over the new additions as Ray’s knee bounced under the desk's table.

"Okay.” Joel was a lot calmer now. The fire was out of his eyes as he crushed his cigarette butt into and ashtray. He tapped an index finger against the desk a few times in thought.

Ray was anxious, fiddling with his hands.

"This needs discussion,” said Joel. “Do you not understand why I don't want you seeing other men apart from me?"

Ray shook his head truthfully. "No. I don't. Not when being around other men is my job." Ray continued to bounce his knee, knowing all too well this calmness could just be a facade. He didn't know where Joel was going with this.

Joel turned the notepad and tapped to the term that read about Ray not touching men un-platonically, underlining the _OUTSIDE_ part of 'outside of stripping.'

"But you do understand why I don't want you seeing other men apart from me outside the club?"

Ray was silent a moment. He shrugged. "I guess. But I escort, Joel. You knew that going into this,” he said, elaborating, "Seeing clients is just part of work for me. What you got pissed in the first place was just me working."

Ray felt more comfortable speaking his mind now Joel wasn’t being completely unreasonable, but still crossed his arms, guarded.

Joel sighed.

"The whole point of this-” Joel gestured between them- "is that in return for me providing you with everything you need and desire, I get the privilege of you being my escort, and my escort alone. If you don’t like it, there’s the door.”

Ray was a little stunned. His eyes deflected. He watched condensation trickle down the side of his untouched soda.

"I was under the impression you just didn't want me sleeping with anyone else. I didn't realise you didn’t want me seeing my regulars." Ray swallowed, shrugging again. "It was just a misunderstanding, that's all. It wasn’t anything to threaten that guy's life over, Joel."

He allowed himself to sound a little more frustrated, Joel still being a bit too controlling for his comfort.

Joel exhaled through his nose, massaging at his temples as he closed his eyes. "No more misunderstandings,” he said decidedly.

His eyes snapped back open, knocking his desktop to life.

"I'm drafting a contract for a year,” he said as he tapped in his password, “Once we're both happy with it, you're going to sign it."

Ray frowned. "Signing a contract? Isn't that a little formal for an escort service?"

He wasn’t sure if he was big on the idea of being in a legally binding contract with someone who had him physically shaking just minutes before.

"No more misunderstandings," Joel repeated, glancing over at Ray before he looked back to the screen. He nudged the Dr. Pepper in Ray's direction. “That’s for you.”

Holding back a sigh, Ray took the soda and cracked it open. He took a little sip from it to appease Joel, although he mainly just sat and messed with the tab.

They spent ten minutes in silence, the only sound the clacking of Joel’s keyboard. Joel glanced to their list of non-negotiables every so often for reference. He looked tired. Joel turned the monitor for Ray to read when he'd finished the rough draft.

Ray looked over the document.

Joel had fleshed it out with dates and specific wording, Ray relieved to see he’d been granted stripping back, being able to see whoever he wanted bar clients and was able to make friends without Joel’s consent.

He supposed the rules weren't that bad considering he’d be 5k a week richer on top of all the additional gifts Joel tended to pile on top of him. If he treaded lightly, Ray thought he could probably get through the entire year without Joel having another freak out.

Ray nodded when he finished reading it. “Yeah, okay.”

"You're happy with it?"

Ray nodded again. “Yes.”

“You’re sure?” reiterated Joel, turning the monitor back towards himself as he added a header and a footer, areas for them to sign at the bottom.

"Yeah, I’m sure."

Ray had a feeling that even if he complained about the cliental rule, every new rule Joel gave in its place would have the same controlling undertones.

Joel hummed in acknowledgement.

He proofread through the document several more times before he printed it off and stapled the two pages together. He retrieved the pen, flipping over the paper so he could sign it, jotting his name and the date before he pushed it over to Ray.

Ray did the same, signing, and writing, and dating neatly beside where Joel had written.

Joel looked relieved once Ray had signed. Now he could be reassured they were on the same page.

He slid the contract into locked draw, rubbing his thumb and index fingers into his eyes.

"I'm going to go get changed," Joel informed Ray, standing up.

"Okay," said Ray, “I’m gonna go get that bath, then.”

He waited for Joel to leave the room first before he found his favourite bathroom to bathe in, twisting on the taps and unlocking his phone so he could call Michael about what had just happened.

Michael, predictably, thought Ray was a stupid fucking moron for signing it.

Ray agreed.

-

Joel slumped onto a sofa downstairs once he’d changed into some sweats. He’d just finished shooting up a little heroin, one of his favourite pastimes, enjoying the end of its tranquillity as Ray entered the room.

He smiled lazily at the man, gesturing with an index finger for Ray to come over. He was dressed in one of the expensive silk robes Joel had bought for him whilst he stayed at his house. Joel thought he looked like he belonged there, in his home, looking gorgeous just for him.

Ray’s fear had dissipated back into nothing now everything was reasonably back to normal. The contract wasn’t that bad, was it? Joel was just lonely and jealous, it wasn’t like those were rare emotions in the men Ray saw, although most men Ray slept with weren’t violent criminals with a large disposable income.

He shook his head internally. Joel clearly just wanted an exclusive sugar baby. Ray could do that. Had done that. He was good at pretending to be in love.

Ray glanced at the paraphernalia on the coffee table. He ignored it and instead sauntered over and got settled in Joel’s lap like he wanted.

Joel hummed in lazy encouragement, nudging his face again the escort's neck. He recognised the smell of the body wash on his skin. Vanilla. He squeezed a hand around the back of one of Ray’s calves.

"You’re beautiful, baby," he breathed.

Ray put an arm around him as he leaned against Joel's chest. His closed his eyes, relaxing as Joel cuddled him instead of standing over him and frightening him.

“Thank-you,” he said. “I'm glad you're not mad anymore."

"I thought you liked it when I got mad," teased Joel through the haze. He pressed a few kisses to Ray's jaw, taking one of Ray's feet and giving it a gentle squeeze. He was unaware to what extent he'd scared Ray, too caught up in his own emotions.

Ray laughed lightly, petting Joel's hair a little as they sat together. "Not when you're mad at me,” he admitted, but kept his tone light-hearted.

Joel sighed in and out through his nose. "Pretty Ray, I didn’t mean to upset you." He began to kneed Ray's feet, knowing they got sore after working on them all night. "You're always safe here with me."

 _Yeah, right,_ thought Ray, although he supposed he forgave him, humming in acknowledgement of his half-apology. He laid his head on Joel's shoulder as he rubbed his feet for him.

Joel's heart beat was steady through his broad ribcage, the muscles in his arm flexing lightly as he massaged Ray’s feet. He took his time, big hands going back to Ray's waist when he'd gotten out all the tightness.

Joel liked him way too much for a deposable prostitute.

"My pretty Ray," he repeated softly, "you know you only deserve the best, don't you? My boy only deserves the best."

  
Ray was so much more comfortable than he'd been when they first got there, smiling up at Joel. He gave some soft kisses to his neck, up against Joel’s jaw.

"You only give me the best,” reassured Ray, having to admit his words were honest. It had only been a month or so, but Joel was endlessly buying him new clothes and making sure he had all the games before they came out, quick to find Ray anything and everything he asked for.

"Yes, I do," agreed Joel sleepily, hand finding a place to rest between Ray's thighs. He let his eyes close again, resting his head back.

Ray hummed, quiet for a while.

"C'mon, I'm sleepy. Let's go to bed,” said Ray, sitting up in his lap a little straighter and rubbing his eyes under his glasses.

Joel blinked his eyes back open, giving a nod and patting Ray's backside for him to get up off his lap. He leaned forward to collect his stash back into its’s wooden box, setting it back in its place in a nearby cupboard.

Ray got up and heading up to Joel's bedroom, turning on the light as he padded over to his bed. He climbed on top, waiting for Joel on his knees.

As the elder walked in, Ray untied the front of his robe, letting it fall open. “You wanna fuck me, Daddy?” he asked Joel, trying to keep the emotional and physical exhaustion off his face.

Joel blinked, staying in the doorway. “I thought you said you were sleepy.”

“Never too sleepy for you,” replied Ray, smoothing a hand down his own thigh.

Joel cracked a wry smile. “That’s alright, sweetheart. I’m a little too strung out for all that anyway.”

Ray was undeniably relieved. He smiled back and discarded the robe, getting under Joel’s covers. “Alright.”

Joel hummed. He kicked off his sweats onto the floor, getting into bed beside Ray in the darkness, resting a hand over Ray’s naked abdomen. He shifted until he was comfortable.

“Night,” whispered Ray. Joel had soothed the fear and discomfort he'd had earlier, Ray trying to ignore the fact he was the one that caused it in the first place.

“Night,” grumbled back Joel, drifting off straight away.


End file.
